Bathing garment



Sept. 11, 1951 MlTCHELL 2,567,442

BATHING GARMENT Filed Nov. 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR,

441g): Miic'hell Sept. 11, 1951 M L 2,567,442

BATHING GARMENT Filed Nov. 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 11, 1951 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BATHING GARMENT Alex Mitchell, Portland, Oreg.

Application November 8, 1946, Serial No. 708,710

7 Claims.

My invention relates to bathing suits and swimming suits of the general character comprising a front and back portion joined together. Said portions are adapted to be secured to the wearer by tie strings which are secured about the back of the neck and about the waist, respectively. Such type of suits are commonly made of flatwoven material, rather than knitted material, and thus have the characteristic of being relatively non-resilient. It is essential that their margins lie closely to the body with the body portions conforming to the configurations of the wearers body, promoting freedom of movement without binding or restriction.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a one-piece bathing suit of this character in which reinforcing elements are arranged principally upon the interior of the suit, which reinforcing elements promote the foregoing functions and provide a framework of limited elongation. Thus said reinforcing elements hold the suit securely in position and permit the remainder of the suit to drape smoothly over the body.

A further object of my invention is to provide a suit of this character which may define a haltertype front portion and a skirt-like lower and rear portion, said skirt being proportioned and arranged to lie smoothly over the hips and to conceal the remainder of the lower portion of said bathing garment.

A further object of my invention is to provide a one-piece bathing suit of this character which may lie fiat to promote drying, to roll into a compact bundle, one which is adjustable to fit the figure without requiring buttons, snaps, or types of fastenings other than straps and ties.

Further and other details of my invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of said bathing suit lying flat- Wise and looking at the inner surface thereof, that is, the surface which lies next to the body of the wearer; I

Fig. 2 is a view of a bather showing the front portion of said garment; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a bather and illustrating the rear portion of said suit.

Referring first to Fig. 1:

A one-piece bathing suit or garment of this character comprises, mainly, a front portion I, a back portion 2, and a narrow crotch portion 3. The suit illustrated is a woman's suit. Said front portion has appropriate seams and plaits therein to provide a proper fit. At the sides of said front portion are arm indentures 4. Secured to the margins of said front portion adjacent said indentures are tying straps 5. The middle portion of each of said straps is sewed or otherwise secured to the front portion l, and the ends 5a thereof are free and are susceptible of passing about the neck of the wearer and bein tied in. a knot or bow 6, as is illustrated in Fig. 3. Sewed or otherwise secured to the portion of the front I lying between said arm indentures is a pair of crossed reinforcing bands I and 8. Below the point 9, at which said crossed reinforcing bands intersect, is a midriif aperture 10, triangular in shape. This is defined and reinforced by the lower ends of said bands I and 8, and the lower portion is defined by a reinforcing element H, which joins said lower ends of said reinforcing bands 1 and 8, respectively. Ties l2 and I3 are joined to the margin of said front portion immediately below the arm apertures 4, and their point of joinder with the front portion is more or less in alinement with the general line in which the reinforcing element ll extends. This is at the waist 14. Thus, said reinforcing element II and the ties serve together to resist any stretching about the body. Sufiicient material, however, is left between the ends of said reinforcing element I I and the point of joinder of the ties l2 and I3 to permit limited stretch and resiliency in the cloth from which the front portion is made. Also located in this general region are vertical scams or plaits l5, which take up the material at this point to promote a better fit of the garment to the body of the wearer. The extent and location of said seams or plaits are dictated, however, by the size and proportions of the garment. The remainder of said front portion between the point of joinder of said ties l2 and I3 and the crotch portion 3 overlies the remainder of the front of the body. a

The back portion of the body is substantially twice as wide as that of the front portion, as may be observed'in Fig. l. The lower marginal edge thereof carries a waist-tying element l6. Only the central portion thereof is secured to said margin, leaving the free ends I! and I8 loose so they may be tied about the waist into a knot or bow I9, as is illustrated in Fig. 3. The ties 5b are joined by a knot l3a lying intermediate the knot or how I9 and the knot or bow 6 which secures the strap ends 5a together about the neck of the wearer. The ties l2 and I3 are tied together and when tied lie beneath and are concealed by the knot or bow l9 joining the free ends I! and I8 together. Said back portion is thus of sufficientiength to extend completely around the wearers back and front and to overlap. Thus the lower marginal edge forms virtually a straight line, as is shown in said Figs. 2 and 3. Inasmuch as said back portion 2 is secured to the body only by the tying element Hi, the remainder is free to drape and form virtually a skirt. Appropriate plaits 20 and 2| are formed in said back portion, as is shown in Fig. 1, ,to prevent bunching of the material, but yet to promote suflicient fullness in said back portion so that it will hang freely. The remainder of the front and back portions has marginal reinforcing members 22 and 23 at the opposite sides thereof so that said marginal portions will be held to lie closely against the body. That-is,

said marginal edges are reinforced to prevent the garment from being pulled away at the edges to reveal the body.

So as to prevent said bathing suit from sagging or ,stretching, which would spoil the lines thereof, I.provide a reinforcing band 24, which extends from the central portion of the reinforcing element l'l underlying the midriff-aperture, through the crotch portion 3 and through the back portion 2, terminating at the waist tying element l6 in the back thereof. As is apparent, said suit issupported in the main by the tying strap .5, the crossed reinforcing bands i and 8, ,and the reinforcing band 24 extending, as has been said, throughout the remainder of said garment. The waist-tying element l6 encircles the 'bodyand prevents the garment from unfolding. but the garment is not dependent for support upon said waist band. Said reinforcing elements, except the marginal elements, are preferably arranged upon the inner body surface of the garment so as to provideconcealment except where they end-in tying-elements. The latter are visible because they extend'about and are secured at the back of the wearer.

As a means for securing the crossed reinforcing bands'l and B at their point of intersection 9, I preferably provide a loop 25, and said loop may 'carry a bow 26 or other decorative means for providing ornamentation, said how being shown in Fig. 2. -I a1so preferably provide loop 21, adjacent thewaist-tying element l6, through which the freeend I! may pass in forming the knot or bow IS. The purpose of said loop is to keep said free ends in overlying relation and to prevent their separation.

A one-piece bathing garment embodying my invention thus may be made of flat material and all of the seams are straight-run, so that said garmentis capable of production in a factory and with standard sewing machines. Being flat, it also promotes'ease in drying and easy adjustment'and accommodation to the figure of the wearer. These things are accomplished and yet said garment is securely fastened, the -margina1 edges can not easily be pulled away or sag to reveal the body, and freedom of movement is provided without binding or undue restriction.

'I claim:

L'A one-piece garment of the character described comprising afront waist portion, the. marginal edges thereof defining front arm and neck indentations, strap members secured intermediate their ends to the lateral edges of said waist portion and having free extensions thereof projecting from the upper and lower ends of said waist portion for securing the latter about the neck and waist, respectively, of the wearer, a lower front portion extending from said waist portion; adowerbackportion joined to said lower front portion by a narrow crotch section, and fastening members extending from the edges of said lower back portion for securing said garment about the waist of the wearer.

2. A one-piece garment of the character described comprising a front waist portion, the marginal edges thereof defining front arm and neck indentations, fastening members extending from the upper'and lower ends of said waistportion for securing the latter about the body of the wearer, a lower front portion extending from said waist portion, a lower back portion joined to said lower front portion by a narrow crotch section, and fastening members on said lower portion for securing said garment about the waist of the wearer, said back portion terminating at the waist and being of sufficient width to be wrapped about .the body to form a skirt defining a substantially unbroken straight hem line, said skirt hanging freely from the waist and overlying and concealing the lower front-portion of the-garment.

3. A one-piece garment of thecharacter described comprising a front waist portion, the marginal edges thereof defining front arm 'and neck indentations, said waist portion having a central aperture defining an open midrifflreinforcing bands secured to the edges defining said neck indentation and-saidmidriff opening, said bands crossing at a;p oint betweensaid neck line and midriff opening, a lower front portion extending from said waist portion, a lower back portion joined to said lower front'portion by a narrow crotch section, and fastening members on said portions for securing said garment about the body of the wearer.

4. A one-piece garment of the character described comprising a front'waist portion, the marginal edges thereof defining front arm and'neck indentations, said waist portion having a central aperture defining an open'midriff, reinforcing bands secured to the-edges defining said neck indentation and saidmidriff opening, said bands crossing "at a point betwe n said neck line and midriff opening, a lower front portion extending from said waist portion, a lower back portion joined tosaid'lower front'portion bya narrow crotch -section,--fastening members on said portionsfor securing said garment aboutthe body of'the wearer, said back portion terminating at the waist and being of sufficient width to be wrapped about the body to form askirt hanging freely from the waist and overlying and concealing the lower front portion of the garment, and a reinforcing band extending centrally through the crotch section-and terminating at the waist line of said back portion and at the midriff aperture adjacent said lower front portion.

5. A one-piece garment of the character described comprising-a front -waist portion, the marginal edges thereof .definingfront armand neck indentationasaid =waist portion having a central aperture defining an open midriff, reinforcing bands secured to the edges definingsaid neck indentation and-said midriff' opening, said bands crossing at a pointibetween said neckline and midriff opening, a tying "p securing said bands at said point of crossing, a lower front portion extending from said waist portion, a lower back portion joined to-said lower frontportion by a narrow crotchsection, and-strap-members extending from'the edges of said portionsfor securing said garment about the body of the wearer, said back portion terminating'atthewaist and being of sufiicient width to=be wrapped'about the body to form a skirt hanging freely from the waist and overlying and concealing the lower front portion of the garment, the lowermost pendent edge of said back portion which wraps around the body to form said skirt defining a substantially straight hem line across the front of the body.

6. A one-piece garment of the character described comprising a front waist portion, the marginal edges thereof defining front arm and neck indentations, fastening members secured intermediate therein to the lateral edges of said waist portion and extending from the upper and lower ends of said waist portion for securing the latter about the neck and waist, respectively, of the wearer, said waist portion having a central aperture defining an open midrifi, reinforcing bands secured to the edges defining said neck indentation and said midriif opening, said bands crossing at a point between said neck line and midriff opening, a tying loop securing said bands at said point of crossing, a lower front portion extending from said waist portion, a lower back portion joined to said lower front portion by a narrow crotch section, fastening members extending from the edges of said lower portions for securing said garment about the waist of the wearer, and a reinforcing band extending centrally through the crotch section and terminating at the waist line of said back ortion and at the midrifi aperture adjacent said lower front portion.

'7. A one-piece garment of the character described comprising a front waist portion, the marginal edges thereof defining front arm and neck indentations, fastening members on said waist portion for securing the latter about the body of the wearer, said waist portion having a central aperture defining an open midriff, reinforcing bands secured to the edges defining said neck indentation and said midrifi opening, said bands crossing at a point between said neck line and midriif opening, a lower front portion extending from said waist portion, a lower back portion joined to said lower front portion by a narrow crotch section, and fastening members on said lower portions for securing said garment about the waist of the wearer, said back portion terminating at the waist and being of sufficient width to be wrapped about the body to form a skirt hanging freely from the waist and overlying and concealing the lower front portion of the garment.

ALEX MITCHELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,946,782 Davis Feb. 13, 1934 2,060,689 Read Nov. 10 ,1936 2,412,502 Garrison Dec. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 288,493 Germany Nov. 3, 1915 4 3 Franc un-w e 93 

